The national government on January 1, 2009 plans to fire the nation’s 4,000 armed school security guards in a cost-saving measure.

In addition to the loss of jobs for thousands, it leaves the nation’s school children without protection, something that remained high on the national priority in the past, with the realization schools are a prime target for would-be terrorists.

The Union of Local Authorities header by Adi Eldar and the national Parents Teachers Association have announced they do not intend to sit back and permit the government to pull the plug on security for the nation’s schools. Israel Police has assured us that school patrol cars will however continue placing an emphasis on schools during their daily patrols.

Yossi Wasserman, who heads the Histadrut HaMorim teachers’ union, has already announced that without security guards, there will be no school. He explained that he and his colleagues have no intention of being part of a plan that abandons the basic security needs of the nation’s school children.

Adi Eldar adds “the government seems to have forgotten that we are not living in Switzerland” and security is a necessity. Eldar plans to hold urgent meetings with the various teachers unions to discuss the situation.

Ettie Binyamin, a senior official in the national PTA says, “The finance minister hasn’t any plans to fire his security staff. The same reasons compelling security at the treasury apply to the nation’s schools. With all due respect to the minister and his staff, their blood is not thicker than that of our children.”

Education Minister Prof. Yuli Tamir promises to wage a tenacious battle against the decision, calling for an urgent meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Finance Minister Roni Bar-On.

Tamir also addressed the sum invested in certifying the security personnel and the fact that now is not the time to add 4,000 more people to the ranks of the unemployed.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)